Tick Tock
by RookZ
Summary: "Maybe it was during one of those late night, healing sessions that I finally fell for her?" Post Iron Man. Tony/Pepper POV. Review?
1. Chapter 1

Just a little something I cooked up when I was bored. Tony POV

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Iron Man related. :/

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"Sir, maybe the Mark V could do with some upgrading?" Jarvis tonelessly suggested.

I had been staring at the clock for what seemed like hours. Seriously, like at least five hours.

"It's been twenty minutes, sir." Ah, Jarvis the mind reader. "It will do well not to dwell on Miss Potts current situation."

"I'm not dwelling Jarvis, I'm sitting on this nice chair having a rest." I spread my arms out in a dramatic fashion and spun myself on my wheeled chair as if to emphasize the point, or to just act as petulant as I could.

"Who made you my mother?" I added in a snippy voice.

Silence.

And then, "Shall I call Colonel Rhodes?"

I sighed and got up from my chair with a frustrated huff. I have to admit this is bothering me a lot more than I thought it would.

"No, don't call mom," I responded sourly, beginning a second round of pacing. I'm sure I'll be seeing my chair again very soon. There's only so much pacing I can do. And it's only been twenty minutes…

"Might I suggest you tell Miss Potts about these feelings you-"

"Whoa! No, no feelings Jarvis. I don't remember making you my therapist." I stopped him in his tracks because his line of thinking was not something I particularly wanted to hear. It's actually something I've been trying to avoid thinking about for the past month.

"Your heart rate has been elevated for the past twenty-five minutes, sir. I am merely providing options that may give you some relief."

"What's the second option?" There was a hint of hope I let slip in my voice.

"A mild sedative."

I rolled my eyes. "Not exactly the best options there, genius."

"My apologies, sir." I swear I could hear a hint of irritation in his response. "Maybe a well placed phone call to Miss Potts could end her date promptly?"

And there it was. The source of my current predicament.

Pepper… on a date.

I'm Tony Stark. I'm a billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist. I could have my pick of women that would throw themselves at me in hopes of being the first Mrs. Stark. Hell, I should be out right now in some club picking up the next 'missus'.

So why am I sitting in my shop in a pissed off mood that my assistant has a date?

I believe it was some idiot from my own accounting staff. I wasn't particularly listening to the details Jarvis gave me about him. I was still in shock from the actual announcement of her unavailability.

I walked over to my desk that was illuminated with holographic images and picked up a sturdy looking wrench I had placed there a while ago. I felt the heavy weight in my hands and could feel an evil smirk come on as I imagined smashing the blunt object over her date's head. So what if I would be down one accountant? There would be ten people lined up to replace him.

Unfortunately, my assistant would not be too pleased that I knocked her boyfriend out with a wrench.

God, that word left a terrible taste in my mouth. It was a bit of an exaggeration on my part since it was only the first date, but it still bothered me to no end.

"Call her." I've never had this kind of desperation overwhelm me. I should be stronger than this.

This unfamiliar territory was treacherous.

"Dialing, sir."

I waited as patiently as I could, thumbing the wrench that I still had in my possession. I resisted the urge to throw it across the room when the call went straight to voicemail.

Fuck.

"This is stupid," I muttered, setting the wrench down before I actually did some damage.

"Would you like me to try again?"

"No. I'm not that desperate." Except I really am, I just rather not show it. Even to an AI.

I wish I could pinpoint exactly when I started feeling this way. Maybe it would make things easier somehow? Or I could find a way to take it back to the way things used to be. I know I'm losing major cool points with all this pining I'm doing.

It was definitely after I announced myself as Iron Man. Although, there was no love lost between us when she was suddenly inundated with double the usual workload when I revealed my identity. She wouldn't even look my way the first two weeks.

Still, she stuck by my side. I wish I knew why she put up with all my bullshit. Any other sane person would have thrown in the towel eons ago.

Every time I came home from a mission, it would be to a worried Pepper gripping a first aid kit like her life depended on it. No matter what time it was, I could always expect her to be there. I suspect it was Jarvis that told her when I would always arrive. Maybe it was during one of those late-night, healing sessions that I finally fell for her?

Well, at least I can admit it to myself finally.

"Time, Jarvis?"

"Forty-five minutes, sir."

"Right… where was this date at again?"

"I'm not privy to that information," Jarvis replied unhelpfully.

"And her phone is off so you can't trace it," I added in as well, scratching my chin thoughtfully as I worked around the problem. I always got what I wanted and I don't see how this situation should be any different.

My pacing picked up a bit as I worked to find a solution. I picked up the glass of water that was next to the wrench on my desk and went to rehydrate myself before I collapsed from exhaustion.

"Might I suggest a quick check on the GPS you had installed on her vehicle?" Jarvis interrupted suddenly.

My eyes widened in surprise and I spit out the water I had tried to gulp down.

I wiped at my mouth and now soaked shirt. "I forgot about that!"

Yes, I had a GPS installed on her vehicle. Why? I'm not quite sure but it felt necessary at the time. It was after I let the world know about my extra-curricular activities as Iron Man. I felt I had painted a target on her back as well and justified my actions that way. She doesn't know, of course. I'm not about to let that secret out any time soon.

"If I know Pepper as well as I know I do, she would take her vehicle in case the idiot turned out to be a total creep. It's her escape plan. Track it, Jarvis."

I looked up at the screen in front of me as Jarvis narrowed down the vehicle's location. I let out a low whistle when her location put her at one of the more fancy restaurants in the area. This accountant was good. He was pulling out all the stops to woo her.

Well, it was time to put an end to all this nonsense.

"Call, Rhodey."

I listened as the line rang and waited for my best friend to pick up.

"Tony?"

A small smile spread across my face.

"Hey platypus, how do you feel about some dinner?"

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Done! Reviews are like Lay's potato chips, you can't have just one. :D

Disclaimer: I don't own Lay's potato chips either. :(


	2. Chapter 2

**My deepest apologies for the long wait. I had the mother of all 8-week, sociologist class start a couple of weeks ago. And to think I took it as my blow off class for the semester :/ Anywhoo I took the liberty of going a different route on this chapter… Let's see what our dear Pepper is up to on her date :D Enjoy!**

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_Pepper POV_

He was… Okay.

I mean, he was very polite, handsome and was the ever-attentive date, but there was just something off about him. Maybe it was the way he made the conversation all about himself or how he has big plans for Stark Industries, even though he was still considered a lowly accountant on the payroll.

He seemed nice enough the few times I bumped into him in the office and I just couldn't bring myself to say no when he asked me out. I deserved a night to relax right? Even if the man sitting in front of me was not the kind of company I had in mind.

I looked down at my watch for what seemed like the 20th time and tried to hold back a sigh as I realized it was only 7:30. Time was going dreadfully slow for my liking.

"Virginia? Are you ok?" The sound of my given name made me cringe, as well as the smarmy grin he had on his face. Most people call me Pepper. It seemed he hadn't gotten the memo yet.

"I'm sorry, John. I seemed to have spaced out there a bit." I bit my lip innocently and watched as he ate up my excuse like the dinner we were supposed to be enjoying. Although, he seemed to be a little peeved that I wasn't listening to his narration of his life story. I'm sorry if I'm not the least bit interested in his college adventures.

"It's quite alright. I must be talking your ear off," he chuckled nervously.

I had to try so hard not to roll my eyes. That's the story of my life. "Oh no, it's a fascinating story. It's just something you said made me think of… something."

He nodded his head understandingly. "Well, enough of me. What's it like being Virginia Potts, assistant to the great Tony Stark?"

If I had a nickel for every time I was asked that…

Again, I had to hold back an eye roll. I never understood why everyone was so fascinated with my relationship with Tony. Our WORKING relationship…

There was nothing special about it. Apart from me following around Tony like the 5 year-old he can be. Seriously, the man can be quite the child sometimes. And then there are the times when he comes home hurt and bleeding from one of his missions. I swear I lose a few years of my life when I get a first glance of him when he's pried from his damn suit.

Me taking care of his injuries has become a sort of routine for us. A sick, twisted routine where all I want to do is shed tears at the amount of pain I see him in. No one man should ever have to go through that and I'm often left wondering why it's him that has to do this. Why can't it be someone else taking on this dangerous role?

If you asked me a few years ago if Tony Stark was a selfless person, I would have laughed in your face.

And then have you committed in an insane asylum.

Now, after seeing all the suffering he goes through for other people, I can finally say that he's selfless when it counts. And he's saved many lives because of his actions.

Of course, I'd never say this to him. His ego is big enough already.

"It's interesting," I finally replied. "It's always something different every day. He can be quite the spontaneous individual so keeping up with him can be troublesome at times."

I watched as John listened to my reply, probably not as interesting as he was hoping because he looked down at the table and fiddled with his drink. Suddenly, he seemed very nervous. He glanced around the restaurant and leaned forward slightly on the table, resting his hands lightly on the table. I watched him suspiciously and waited for his next move.

"You know I'm a little surprised you said yes when I asked you out, Virginia."

This time I held back the cringe. "Why is that?"

"You know why," he laughed annoyingly.

"I don't actually," I snapped in response. I'm starting to regret saying yes to the man now. I'm surprised it's taken me this long.

He leaned even closer and I had to hold back the urge to lean back away from him.

"Well, word around the office is you're dating the boss."

Ah, I should've seen that one coming. I'm now reminded why I try to avoid dating anyone from work. The rumor mill at Stark Industries is just too much for any budding relationship between any potential suitors and myself. According to all the rumors, I've already had two of Tony's kids. Sometimes I wonder who comes up with this stuff and why they're employed in one of the top companies in the world.

"We're not dating," I stated firmly. "You shouldn't put much stock into what is said around the office."

"You two seem pretty close," he replied, fiddling slightly with the lapels of his jacket. "Closer than boss and personal assistant."

"We're friends," I countered defensively. "And I use that word in the loosest sense of the term."

This has always been a sore subject for me. I'm always offended when people assume I've slept my way to the top. I'm nothing if not professional around Tony, even if he does like to throw countless innuendos my way. I've learned to ignore them and he knows not to cross that invisible line between us. He's toed with the line a few times and I've always wondered what could be, but then he does something Tony-like that brings me right back down to reality. Although, I'll admit he's gotten a lot better since his return from Afghanistan and his consequent announcement of his alter ego. Regardless, a relationship between us would never work. Only in my dreams does it ever really work out.

That's another thing I won't tell Tony Stark.

John snapped me out of my thoughts when he reached for one of my hands on the table and squeezed it in a comforting manner.

"I'm glad to hear you're available then. I've had my eye on you for awhile, Miss Potts."

I managed a small, forced smile but couldn't muster up a response to that. I really didn't want to lead him on.

"Let's get out of here," he added in a mischievous tone. The night was clearly still young to him.

I wanted none of that. "Listen John-"

A loud crashing sound grabbed the attention of everyone in the restaurant and stopped me in my tracks. The sound clearly originated from outside and had people gasping in shock at whatever was occurring. I was glad for the slight reprieve from what I was sure to be an awkward conversation with John, but then I got curious when everyone rose from their chair and headed towards the entrance. Phones were already pulled out and ready to capture whatever was happening. I could distantly hear angry shouts and more commotion.

"I wonder what's going on," John murmured, rising from his own chair and trying to catch a glimpse over the crowd of patrons.

"There's only one way to find out," I responded as I rose from my chair and headed towards the entrance.

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**There we go! Let me know what you think with a review. I promise the wait won't be long on the next chapter. We'll find out what the boys are up to in the next chapter and if they have anything to do with what's going on ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

So sorry about the wait! Finals have turned me into a hermit who studies all day and night. I will have more time to write once this dreaded semester is over!

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_Tony POV_

"Tony you said dressy casual."

"I didn't invite you so you can be a sourpuss all night," I responded as I rummaged through the mini fridge in the vehicle where my usual stock of alcohol is stored. A little liquid courage never harmed anyone.

"I'm not being a sourpuss. I'm just saying you need to clarify a little bit better, especially when you're going dressed like that!" Rhodey flailed his arms in the air dramatically and I couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.

I looked down at myself in my slightly greasy jeans and hooded sweatshirt. I had no issue with it but I realized that Rhodey had a point. We were heading towards one of the more fancy restaurants in the area. I should have brought my shades or something… and maybe a dress suit with a tie.

"Happy said I looked nice," I replied brightly, sneaking a glance at said driver who looked back at me like I had lost it.

"Actually boss, I said that you looked like a homeless person."

"I prefer the term homely."

"Maybe we should head back home so you can change," Rhodey added under his breath.

"Nonsense, Rhodey. My place is too far away for us to turn back. Come on! It's a guy's night. We're going to have fun." I tried to perk him up a bit because I could already feel him being a killjoy. He can save his bad attitude for when he finds out why we're really heading to this particular restaurant. It's not our top choice for our usual guy nights and he said as much over the phone. Needless to say, it took awhile to get him convinced.

"I don't know, Tony. I have a bad feeling about all of this. You're up to something." He wasn't my best friend for nothing. The man knew me well.

I punched him on the shoulder lightly. "Cut it out, Rhodes. We're going to have fun and that's an order."

I leaned back into the cushioned, leather seat and tried to hide a smirk as Rhodey glared me down. He was dressed to impress with pressed dress pants and a nice coat.

"Yellow has never been your color, Rhodey," I pointed out casually, as I made a gesture towards the button-up under his coat.

The glare just hardened even further, if that was even possible.

"It's like the sun… so bright. But still lively in a way, really brings up the atmosp-"

"Tony, shut up!"

"Hey, I'm just complimenting you bud. Happy you got an extra pair of shades up front? I may go blind from this guy's shirt here in a few minutes."

Rhodey let out a huff and made a move to exit the vehicle but I stopped him with a hand to his shoulder.

"Hit it, Happy!" I called out as Rhodey shoved my hand away.

The screeching of tires and smell of burnt rubber permeated the area as both Rhodey and I were flung back into our respective seats. I let out a low chuckle at the severely disgruntled look on my friend's face. I handed him the drink I made for myself and watched as he begrudgingly downed it in one go.

It was all fun and games for now, but I still haven't forgotten where we're headed and why. Actually, if I'm completely honest, I'm not sure what I'm going to do once we arrive. I actually don't foresee this turning out very well… More like a disaster? She'll probably ignore me for a month afterwards, making every attempt to have as little contact with me as possible. This is something I'd rather avoid. I want her to talk to me, even if it's the usual snide remarks about my childish nature. She'll probably hate me too for a bit, but that's a fine price to pay so she doesn't fall in love with some other loser.

I sighed as I realized how bad I have it for her. There's still a lot I need to figure out in regards to Pepper, but I do know that this nagging feeling won't leave me until I finally fess up. Admitting it to myself was a long time coming, and this is just another part that goes along with it. Now I just need to do it without my usual asshole flair that I tend to add to these kinds of situations. I was never good talking to women. Actually, talking was never involved with the many women I've encountered. I usually just skip to the good part where talking is the last thing on my mind. Unfortunately, I don't think this move will fly with Pepper. Maybe I shou-"

"Earth to Tony."

I flinched back into the cushioned seat as Rhodey snapped his fingers in my face in an apparent attempt to grab my attention.

"You're zoning out man. Hand over the Maker's Mark. It's going to be a long night," Rhodey huffed, gesturing to the bottle I gripped in my hand like a lifeline.

"Right," I responded, handing him the bottle. "How much longer Happy?"

Happy shot me a look through the rear view mirror that I only caught briefly, but I saw the message loud and clear. He greatly disapproved of my bold move to crash Pepper's dinner date. It made sense in a way. Those two were like gal pals when in the same room. I guess some sort of camaraderie would form after both having to deal with my antics. I wonder if they talk about me often?

"About five minutes, sir," he replied tightly, eyes focused solely on the road again. "It won't be much longer."

"Good. I'm tired of waiting." Never has those words meant more than they do now.

"The fact that you look so nervous leads me to believe that there is an ulterior motive to all this."

"Do I detect a slight slur to your words, Colonel Rhodes?" I deflected easily, glancing at the Airman who was now three drinks in. "You were always a lightweight."

"I'm just saying something is going to go down, I can feel it. What are you up to?" He gestured a little too quickly and spilled a good portion of his drink on his pants leg. With a curse, Rhodey made a move to clean up the mess and nearly fell forward when Happy slammed on the brakes.

I fell forward as well and nearly avoided smacking my head on the front console, but was not quite so lucky when Rhodey's foot caught me in the side and left me breathless.

"Damn it, Rhodey!" I snapped, rubbing at my tender side that was now aching. "Happy, what the hell is going on?!"

My driver/bodyguard/friend had no time to respond when the driver door window was shattered and the door was yanked open by two pairs of arms. A very resistant Happy was pulled out and I got a bad feeling that this night was going to turn out very unfavorably for my companions and I. And Pepper…

"What the-" I flinched as my window was now shattered as well. I made a move to hold the door closed as shards of glass rained down all around me. Two against one was never a fair battle, so it came as no surprise when my grip slackened on the door and I was dragged out by a couple of armed, hooded figures. Tonight was just not going to be my night.

My arms were shoved up beside my head as I was frisked for any kind of weapons. A quick search of my surroundings let me know that we were not too far from the restaurant. About a block away I would estimate? This is quite the rookie move for these... kidnappers? Thieves? People I pissed off? I'm not sure who these people are but their moves are amateur. Only an idiot would stage this in an area filled with people out enjoying the nightlife. Potential witnesses now, I would say.

"Get your hands off me!" Rhodey was being anything but compliant. I'll give the guy credit though. He actually managed to land a solid hit on one of his captor's face, sending him to his knees. It was a short-lived victory though when he was shoved to the ground and a handgun was pressed to his temple in a menacing manner.

"Rhodey!" I made a move to help him but only got the business end of a gun to my head for my efforts. Stars immediately exploded in my vision and I struggled to regain my bearings. "Oh damn, that hurt. That was completely uncalled for, buddy."

No response from my captors, but I did get shoved up against the hood of my car. I was tiring of all this very quickly.

"What do you want from me?" I shouted, struggling against the arms that held me down. It's time like these that I wish I had the suit. A portable version of the suit was currently in the works, and now I'm deeply regretting not pushing up the timetable on its completion. There's only so much time in a day and considerably less when Pepper nags me to get a full nights sleep. Crap… Pepper isn't going to like any of this. She's going to kill me if these guys don't do it first.

"Tony Stark."

The voice came from my left side and it was impossible to turn my head that way. The idiots that held me down figured it out quickly, and let me go to face the rough voice that spoke my name.

I couldn't place this guy if I tried. He had short-cropped dark hair, fair skin and the quintessential scar on his face that every bad guy must have. He was short but had a stocky build and stood in a way that let me know he meant business. The suit and tie he had on was also a nice touch, I'll admit.

I rubbed at my sore head and shot him a nasty look. "I have no idea who you are and what you want, but you have managed to severely piss me off."

The figure in front of me smirked and spread his arms out in a 'look at what I've done' gesture.

"What will you doing about all this, Mr. Stark?"

Alright, he had me there. He knew I was powerless without the suit.

"What do you want?" I snapped angrily.

"I want you dead."

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Hmm… I so didn't foresee this happening. I will update sooner, I promise! Cliffhangers are a killer, seriously. For both readers and the writer!

Review please? I absolutely enjoy hearing from everyone.


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry for the wait everybody. Went on vacation before my summer semester starts tomorrow :(

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_Pepper POV_

I've never been a nosy person who just has to know what's going on all the time-except things that pertain to a certain Tony Stark-but I can't help but feel intense curiosity along with everyone else that was bustling to leave the restaurant in droves.

At least I can say that I was able to restrain myself from pulling my phone out and recording everything, unlike my fellow restaurant patrons. There was little left to privacy these days and I was not one to intrude on other people's lives. If only I knew what kind of scene I was going to stumble on…

"Hey watch it!"

I had to restrain myself from rolling my eyes as John once again grumbled at someone who rushed past him and managed to shoulder check him in the process. We were right at the entrance of the restaurant and could see the growing number of people accumulate as everyone inched their way closer to the altercation a block away.

The street that separated all the businesses on either side was at a complete stand still. Angry drivers were honking and shouting, adding to the commotion occurring down the street.

"Should we get closer?" John asked warily, looking at the people around us and making sure they stayed their distance.

I could hear the sirens in the distance and suddenly felt a cold feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was not an unfamiliar feeling but one that still left me feeling uncomfortable nonetheless. I could almost equate it to when Tony was kid—

"Get Down!" I didn't even have a chance to protest when John shoved me down as gunshots rang in the air. I could hear shouts and gasps of panic as everyone around us also ducked for cover.

I was grateful for John's great reflexes but was not so receptive of his grabby hands. I moved away from him and made a move to stand up when John shoved me back down again.

"It's too dangerous!" John shouted in to my ear.

"So are we just going to stay down here all night? The shots were a long ways away." I responded smartly. "We need to leave."

I shook his hold off and made a move to stand again once I was completely sure the coast was somewhat clear. Far off into the distance, I could see a cluster of black vans with an even bigger group of abandoned cars around them. I'm assuming the owners were long gone after the shots were fired.

I started to make my way away from the scene when a loud voice projected from speakers that seemed to be attached to the sketchy vans.

"Make a move and live to regret it!"

That effectively had everyone stopping and listening.

The voice continued, "You are my audience today. You will witness history… the fall of an icon! Please, come closer."

Nobody made a move. His warm reception was not exactly enticing and only idiots would take him up on his offer. I was definitely not among them. John, shockingly, was not among that group as well.

"No one in this world is safe. No one will come to protect you. You all live in a false sense of security, one that hangs on precariously and can be torn down at any moment."

Slowly, people stood from their positions and tried to back away from the area as discreetly as possible. The owner of the voice was clearly deranged. I was about to join them when a loud whoosh of air sounded dangerously close and a bright light flashed across the area, exploding into one of the little boutiques in the corner.

Shrieks and pained cries filled the air as people scrambled from the burning building where the apparent missile had hit. I felt a sick feeling in my stomach and mentally willed the police to hurry up and get this dangerous situation under control.

"I said come closer, damn it! My audience needs to witness this."

"He's a lunatic," John piped in. I almost forgot he was still here.

"Clearly," I muttered back, pulling out my phone and making an executive decision.

Normally, I would never bother calling him when I need help, especially when the situation could turn out dangerous… or more dangerous with his involvement. He would justify putting on the suit for this, with good reason, and then he would destroy half the block trying to be the hero. He would win, of course. I just hate the thought of him in danger and the destruction he tends to dole out at the expense of normal citizens.

Letting out a defeated sigh, I dialed his number… only to get his voicemail. Maybe Jarvis had already informed him of the situation? I dialed Jarvis's direct line next. At least I know the A.I. would answer this call.

The accented voice answered on the second ring, "Good evening, Miss Potts. How may I assist you?"

"Hey Jarvis, is Tony in the house? He's not answering my call."

"Mr. Stark left approximately 43 minutes ago with Mr. Hogan and Colonel Rhodes. He spoke of having a 'boys night.'"

I rolled my eyes at this news. "Where were they headed?"

I swear I can hear slight hesitation in Jarvis's voice when he responded, "I'm not allowed to divulge that information. My apologies, Miss Potts."

"You can't tell anyone or you can't tell me?"

"I'm not allowed to divulge that as well." Again, another hint of hesitation.

"Ok… I kind of have a situation here Jarvis."

"I am aware of what is occurring, Miss Potts. The police ETA is less than two minutes and I've left a message with Mr. Stark. Unfortunately, his phone went of the grid approximately 5 minutes ago along with Mr. Hogan's and Colonel Rhodes."

The cold feeling I had grew stronger at that last bit of news. What were the chances of all their phones going out at the same time? Not very likely.

"Miss Potts?" Jarvis cut in. "I suggest you wait for the authorities to arrive. I will continue to locate Mr. Stark and inform him of your whereabouts."

"Thanks, Jarvis," I responded quietly, putting the phone away and taking in a deep breath.

"Stark going to show up anytime soon and save the day?" John asked as he peeked over the parked car we were hiding behind.

"Doesn't seem like it at the moment," I muttered back, hoping desperately that Tony would show up and make everything better.

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Review?


	5. Chapter 5

Whoa... is this a quicker update? I know.. you guys didn't think I was capable of it, did you? ;)

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_Tony POV_

"Rhodey… he called me an icon."

I like to make light of situations and I think a little levity was sorely needed at the current moment. We weren't in the best of situations. After our captors had us completely subdued, we had our hands bound behind our back and black canvas bags thrown over our heads obscuring everything completely. I swear, if I didn't know any better, I'd say I was back in Afghanistan, especially after that explosion that went off not too long ago. I could feel the anxiety in my chest and my breathing sped up when I thought about how lucky I would have to be –again- to escape this.

"Tony, he also said he wants to kill you." Rhodey was definitely not helping out the situation.

"I know… but I'm still an icon. Can you say the same?"

"Quiet!" The butt of a gun slammed into the back of my head and sent me flying forward onto the hot pavement. I was dragged back up again to my knees and felt a fist smash into my face, opening up my lip. With a groan and the taste of blood pooling in my mouth, I made a mental note to completely decimate whoever was behind this kidnapping. They would not live to tell the story if I escaped this chaos.

"You know -for a genius- you can really be an idiot, Tony Stark," the Brute remarked tonelessly.

I called him the Brute because he would not reveal his name, and I thought the name I gave him was much cooler anyway. He would also not reveal his intentions, besides my ultimate demise. Shortly after telling me about the whole "I want you dead" thing, he hardly spoke much. It was surprising since he seemed all for the melodramatic speeches that most villains are big fans of. I cherished his quiet nature in a strange way. It gave me time to think up a plan for getting out of this mess and getting back to Pepper, whom I hoped was clear out of range of this whole mess.

"Speaking of idiots, you do know the police are seconds from arriving right?" I snarled back through the canvas that muffled my words. Even now I could hear the loud sirens and the screeching of tires.

"Good, I want them to see."

"And I can't wait to see you arrested."

A sharp chuckle rang out and the bag was viciously ripped off my head. "I won't be arrested tonight, Mr. Stark. I won't be living past tonight and neither will you."

My eyebrows almost hit my hairline. "So you want an audience to see me die and then you're going to kill yourself? That's a crazy plan if I ever heard one. What about you're henchmen? Are they in on this plan as well?"

As I spoke, I could see a few of his people shift nervously behind the Brute and eye the perimeter nervously. The unease radiated off them in waves and a few of them wandered off to hold back the encroaching police force.

"Suicide is for the cowards and the weak. I plan to make history. As for my people, they are paid well for their services. And if they so tragically meet their end, then their families will be taken care of. Rest assured, Mr. Stark. My people are here of their own volition."

I turned to the nearest thug. "Whatever he's paying you, I can pay you triple. You could retire early from… wielding guns at innocents, or whatever your title is." He blatantly ignored my eyes and stared straight ahead. I let out a dry, defeated chuckle when I felt my face wrenched forward and the Brute's face mere inches from my own.

"You do not speak to my people," he whispered dangerously. It was a complete miracle I could even hear him in this whole mess.

"Then I'll speak to you," I spat back, spraying blood from my mouth right at him and his cleanly pressed suit. It was an impulsive move to make, but I'm known to make several of those when I'm under pressure.

"Get them up! This ends now." He let go of my face immediately and wiped at his own with a look of disgust. The hood was placed back on my head and I heard Rhodey shouting at whatever was being done to him. Happy was strangely quiet the whole time and I wondered if he was even conscious.

"You were never good at keeping your mouth shut, Tony." Rhodey was shoved right beside me as we were made to walk forward.

I smirked through the hood. "That's what Pepper told me once. Right after I told the world I was Iron Man."

"She was right."

"She usually is buddy," I replied solemnly.

"Do you think she knows what's happening?"

"Well, she's just down the block so she must know something is wrong." I might as well let Rhodey in on my failed plan. I didn't have much else left to lose.

"What?"

I shrugged noncommittally even though I knew he couldn't see me. My plan not only failed, but it is also going to get me and my close friends killed. I never knew that my attempt to tell a certain freckled redhead that I cared deeply for her was going to end so tragically. She would never find out what my original intentions were and, secretly, I'm glad for that fact even though it made me feel miserable that I couldn't tell her. She would be able to move on and be happy, even if it was with that ass from accounting.

I let out a sigh of resignation that turned into a grunt of pain when I was slammed onto what I assumed was the hood of a car. I heard similar grunts from my two companions. I listened as the Brute spoke to his 'audience' with a sense of power and continued to order them forward. I wished fervently that nobody took him up on his offer. Roughly, I was yanked from the hood and made to kneel down on the ground.

"Your icon, your hero… he can not save you when he cannot even save himself. A pity you hold such an undeserving person in high esteem." I could hear the smile on his face and wished he would just get it all over with already.

"Iron Man is just a man. Take the suit away and he is just as vulnerable as you and me." He yanked the hood off my face in what he assumed was a dramatic reveal but only had me rolling my eyes. The bright lights of the police barricade had me wincing and disorientated. Maybe I've finally taken one too many blows to the head from the idiots. Beside me, Rhodey and Happy were having the same issues. Happy seemed to be having even more trouble with a very big gash running down the side of his face that was oozing blood and soaking his white collared shirt. His breathing was limited to weak pants and his pale complexion was startling to say the least.

"What the hell did you do to him?" I shouted at the Brute. I could hear his sound system amplify my voice as it picked up my yell.

The Brute waved his hand in a dismissive manner. "No need to worry, Mr. Stark. Your friends will come to no more serious harm today. In fact, they're free to leave. I've only come for you."

I glared at him in a wary manner. It couldn't be that easy, could it? Why would they waste their time roughing them up only to release them?

The Brute noticed my hesitation. "I'm offering them a chance. This is not to be squandered."

I watched as the binds were released from their hands and Rhodey supported the ill looking Happy.

"I'm not leaving you," Rhodey spoke in a hoarse voice. He shifted slightly as he struggled to hold Happy upright.

"You will leave," the Brute spoke with a deadly voice. "No more innocents will be harmed today because of Anthony Stark. I got what I wanted and now I need to finish it. I don't want to keep my audience waiting."

"No!"

I shook my head fervently. "Rhodey… I'm sorry for dragging you and Happy into this. Get out of here. Please."

"Tony…"

I smiled sadly. "Tell Pepper I'm sorry as well. That I-"

"Tony, I know. I'm not blind when it comes to you two."

I managed a weak eye roll. "How long?"

"Long enough. And I'm not telling her anything, you tell her yourself."

"I'll get right on it, Rhodes. Right after I free myself and take out the twenty bad guys with guns around us. It may take me awhile so don't wait up for me."

Rhodey shook his head slowly and made a move to back away slowly when the Brute waved a gun in a menacing manner. I watched helplessly as my two good friends left me completely alone with the deranged man standing in front of me.

"Before you kill me, can I at least know why you're doing this?" I asked aloud.

The Brute scratched his chin thoughtfully and glanced briefly at the police barricade where a few of his men were holding the officers at bay, or as much as they could at least. They were doing a shoddy job, but it didn't matter because there was no plan to escape. They were just buying time for the Brute.

"The world doesn't need heroes, Mr. Stark. It needs martyrs."

My eyes narrowed at that statement and I racked my brain in an attempt to decipher his cryptic words. Before I could formulate a response, I heard a soft beeping sound to my right and realized that the car we arrived in was only a few feet away from us. A slow smile spread across my face when I realized what was happening.

The accented voice rang out clearly and grabbed everyone's attention. "Initiating protocol 47 in T-minus 10 seconds."

The Brute approached the car suspiciously along with a few of his guards. He turned and glared at me, "What's happening?"

I quickly mustered all the strength I had left and stood from my position on the ground. I shrugged casually, "I'm not sure actually. I didn't read the whole manual when I bought it."

One of the thugs from behind shoved me forward in a warning manner and I took that as an invitation to slam my head against his face with a sickening crack. Shots rang out behind me as I ran as fast as I could. I felt a bullet pierce my arm and it took all the power within me to keep going.

I was propelled even further when a grand explosion filled the block and sent me flying forward through the glass of one of the restaurants. Smoke engulfed the area and I coughed in an attempt to fill my lungs with clean air. I made a weak attempt to rise but it was futile with my hands still bound and glass shards cutting into my body.

I lay back down in resignation and hoped that the right people would find me. My eyes grew heavy and I could feel the pull of unconsciousness approaching.

I chuckled quietly with one last thought, "Thank God for Jarvis."

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